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Preventing Fires
To prevent a wood stove fire, it's important to have your stove and chimney inspected and cleaned regularly by a professional. Always use dry, seasoned wood and never burn trash or other materials in your stove. Keep flammable items such as curtains furniture, and rugs away from the stove.
1
You will need to use a fire protector on the floor called a hearth pad or a cement board can be used. That you would set your stove on to protect the floor from any sparks that might fall out from adding wood to moving wood around to cleaning.
2
Cleaning your wood stove pipe is crucial for maintaining the safety and efficiency of your heating system. Over time, creosote and other debris can build up in the pipe, increasing the risk of a chimney fire. Regular cleaning can also improve the performance of your stove, allowing it to burn more efficiently. Don't neglect this important maintenance task - make sure to clean your wood stove pipe regularly to keep your home and family safe. There are 3 stages of Creosote.
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 1 is more like just dust
and easy to clean with a brush.
Stage 2: dry and flaky can
be cleaned with brush and creosote remover or a chimney sweeper, at this stage it can be flammable
Stage 3: the creosote becomes hard and like tar
you will need to call a professional chimney sweeper. This is very flammable.
Here are some reasons what could cause creosote build up
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Wood type
Burning wet, unseasoned, or softer woods like pine or spruce can lead to creosote buildup. Wet wood burns incompletely and produces more smoke, while unseasoned wood contains water that needs to be burned off, resulting in a cooler fire.
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Weak draft
A weak draft allows smoke to spend more time in the flue, which can cool it and cause carbon-rich chemicals to deposit on the walls.
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Insufficient airflow
Not enough oxygen can lead to a cooler fire that produces more creosote. Make sure your damper is fully open when starting a fire, but be careful not to cut off too much oxygen.
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Fire temperature
Fires that don't burn hot enough can also lead to creosote buildup. Using a stove top thermometer can help ensure your stove is hot enough to burn off creosote particles before they reach the chimney.
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